October 17, 2022 at 8:46 a.m.
Hodag football shut out in finale
Hodag football shut out in finale
A Hodag squad decimated by injury and unable to step out from the shadow of back-to-back eight-win seasons finished the year with its eighth loss, falling to Lakeland 49-0 in the Northwood Axe Game at IncredibleBank Field.
It was a bitter end to a season that went downhill fast following a loss to rival Antigo in the Bell Game in Week 5. Rhinelander was outscored by a combined 197-16 over the final four games as injuries and adversity mounted.
"At the end of the day this senior class has seen a lot of success and they've ridden a lot of success, they've played through a lot of success," Hodag coach Aaron Kraemer said afterward. "This year was one of those years where they had to stand up and forge themselves in adversity. The unfortunate thing is, on the scoreboard, the adversity didn't always turn into the wins that we wanted. It didn't turn into the success on the offensive side or the defensive side that we wanted. But, the one thing it will turn into is memories and lessons as they go into their winter sports and into their spring sports."
Lakeland's Rocky Wagoner rushed for 167 yards and four touchdowns on the night and the T-Birds defense held Rhinelander to a season-low 76 yards of offense. Short fields hindered the Rhinelander defense all night as four of five Lakeland drives that resulted in offensive touchdowns started on the Hodags' side of the 50. The T-Birds also added a pair of return touchdowns in the contest.
"We just never got going offensively," Kraemer said. "That's something, going into the offseason, we just have to figure it out. I think we can be a physical team running it with the guys we have coming forward, but we have to figure out a secondary game - pass, screen, something to make sure we can keep moving the chains - and something we can fall back on when we're struggling. That's what you saw in the last couple of games, struggling and we just didn't have an answer when we struggle."
After turning the ball over on its first two possessions, Lakeland finally found traction on a cold and partially snow-covered field midway through the first quarter as Wagoner broke off a 35-yard scoring run. He scored again on the opening play of the second quarter and added an eight-yard score midway through the period.
Rhinelander committed four turnovers on the night, including a James Heck interception that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown by Talon Haling with 5:54 left in the second to give Lakeland a 28-0 lead.
The Hodags went 3-and-out on their first possession of the second half and Landon Bates was tackled at his 15 before he could get a punt away. Lakeland punched it in two plays later on a six-yard run by Leonard Chosa. Tyler Chariton then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which was scooped up by Lakeland's Ryan Carlson and returned for a 22-yard score.
The T-Birds, who had not beaten Rhinelander since 2018, left their starters in well into the fourth quarter and Wagoner picked up his fourth touchdown run with 9:46 remaining.
"They're a good team. They're a playoff team. We knew what we were getting into," Kraemer said.
There were some bright spots defensively. The Hodags held Lakeland to 247 yards of offense and allowed quarterback Brayden Wiczek to complete only 2 of 7 passes for 27 yards. The defense intercepted Wiczek twice. Trayton Brzycki stepped in front of a crossing route in the first quarter and Owen Ives picked off a deep pass attempt in the second quarter. Rhinelander also recovered a pair of fumbles in the contest.
"I thought early in the game that we had a plan defensively to shut them down and we did early. Stopped them a few times on their opening drives, got a turnover early and got another turnover," Kraemer said. "I wasn't too upset with the way we played defensively tonight. There were opportunities to finish plays that we didn't make, make tackles in the backfield for no gain or a loss, but they were three-yard gains. That's the difference between a defense that's struggling and a championship defense, which we have to shore up. But I wasn't upset with the way we played defensively."
Heck finished 10 of 25 passing for 76 yards. Seniors Brzycki and Finn Tulowitzky each caught two passes for 24 yards.
Lakeland finished the regular season on a five-game winning streak and took third in the GNC with a 5-2 league mark. The T-Birds also evened the Northwoods Axe trophy trade series with Rhinelander at four wins apiece. Lakeland posted the largest margin of victory in the series and tied for the most points scored in a game, matching Rhinelander's 49 points scored in a 2017 victory.
Following the game, the team had a long, cold huddle in the east end zone as it bid farewell to its senior class of 13 players for a final time.
"It's hard to watch them walk away but, at the same time, I know they've learned the life lessons they need to be successful and I can't wait to see what they do with their career here and the remainder of their life," Kraemer said. "Some of these guys might be standing on the sideline with me coaching in the future."
For the rest of the squad, the work begins in earnest to prove that this year was a blip on the radar, and not the return of the struggles that plagued the program for decades.
"I think we have to relearn the identity. I don't think it's about learning something new, or redefining ourselves. I think it's about re-learning what Hodag football is all about," Kraemer said. "I know it was a rough season but, like I said before, my job is that I can bring hope, that I can bring discipline that I can bring Hodag football and pride in our program back to Rhinelander. This year was rough but it doesn't have to be that way going forward. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that it isn't.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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